Results/Commentary: Hammond was already well-established as an innovator in aftermarket AC systems for heavy equipment and marine applications when it turned to the heavy truck market. As environmental concerns led to the increase of “no idle” restrictions and the use of truck engines to power AC systems in the operator cab, Hammond applied its highly efficient design concepts to systems that could be configured easily to all Class III to Class VIII truck makes and models.

The new Arctic BREEZE line solved many problems that competitive products were having with reliability, efficiency, servicing and cycle times. These advantages led to a series of news releases featuring comments from some of Hammond’s early adopters and test fleets. Each highlighted the unique benefits to the various players who influence acceptance of truck aftermarket products. As the program advanced, Hammond was able to supplement the testimonial stories with announcements of new advances in the product and regulatory environment.

According to Hammond, “We always know when a story has been picked up because the phone rings incessantly. The word gets out among drivers and technicians, and that leads to growing acceptance by the larger fleets and dealers.”